Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1887-06-18
New Metropolitan Theater.

Mrs. Langtry, famous for the reputation
of classical beauty, and more recently for
studious devotion to dramatic art, drew q
large audience last night. She was sup
ported by London company OF thoroughly
good actors, Mr.. Coghlan being leading man.
and an actor of unquestioned ability, but
Mr.. Everill, unquestionably, also carry
ing the honors in last nights play,
in a part supposed to be subordinate. The
play was 4" a Wife's Peril" 1t is cum
ningly-devised irony and incisive sarcasm
upon the friendship that lives but to use its
object for purely selfish purposes. Mrs.
Langtry is not great actress, and proba-
bly, never will attain TO that distinction.
She is a woman however, who has learned
to act well her part, but the enthusiasm
and expression that is born of feeling lacks
prominence in her performance. Sheis the
embodiment of grace; her figure well nigh
fills the artists ideal, and she moves
upon the stage with the ease and graceful
ness that is the endowment of nature, and
never can be assumed. Concerning her
beauty, opinions will continue 10 divide.
as they always have; but none will DENY
that she is rarely blessed by nature with
charms of feature and form that entitle
her to rank with notable beautiful women
of the classical type. That physical en-
dowments addressing the taste for the
beautiful are aids to dramatic art in such
roles as she assumes, is undeniable. She
has studied with effect. and while not
great, is still a better actress than
produced and has better artists, and not a
few to whose skill Mrs. Langtry cannot
attain, for she evidently cannot act
throughout unconsciousiy- Her emotional
effects are oftenest studied, and speak to
the spectator OF her consciousness of self,
except at rare intervals, when she rises
superior TO her personality. In all the
picetles of stage business, of costumery, OF
statuesque posing, of gesture, she has be-
come an adept, and all that studied art,
aided by rare physical gifts. can effect is
availed of by her, and with success. She re-
eeived the applause of an audience crit
ical and difficult to please and was
twice recalled to bow her thanks, which
she did with a grace more effective, natural
and telling than anything she attempted
when assuming the role of Lady 0rmond.
In short she is fine example of what
training can accomplish upon the stage.
The New York Herald OF October 10, 1886.
pronounces her Pauline in the Lady Of
Lyons the best ever seen in New ork,
because it is part calling for
precisely such beauty as hers, and,
as it puts it, for the physical
charm of Pauline is primarily the raison
d etre of the whole fable" In this part she
will appear to night, playing for the matt
nee Galatea." In both pieces, it is
claimed for her. that she is original and
artistic in thorough degree the London
Telegraph going SO far es 10 say that
'she has got at the heart" of the
characters, especially that of Pau
line. The evening prices prevail
at the matinee, and the production of the
Lady of Lyons concludes the engage
ment, which will be the only one she will
play here. 1t cuts no figure in the estimate
OF the character of a performance, but may
crafty the curiosity TO know, to say that
the costumes worn by Mrs. Langtry were
splendid examples of the dressing art, and
in richness and beauty were dazzling, while
the claim is made that no other has ever
dressed the part of the deluded Pauline
correctly but Mrs. Langtry.